The present invention relates to shipping containers and packaging arrangements therefor. In particular, the invention pertains to insulated containers and packaging suitable for transporting temperature sensitive samples to be analyzed, such as soil and water samples.
With the widespread problems and concerns with environmental contamination caused by industry and business, a substantial demand has developed for analytical services that provide chemical analyses of soil and groundwater samples. Soil and water samples to be analyzed for contaminants must be transported, often over long distances by truck and air, from the field to the laboratory. Obviously, the sample containers must be packaged in such a manner as to provide adequate protection against breakage. To ensure reliable test results, it is also necessary that the samples be maintained within a certain temperature range during transportation to the lab. For the same reason, it is also important that the samples be packed so as to minimize exposure of the samples to contaminated environments while en route.
Conventionally, sealable sample containers of glass are randomly dispersed inside of a standard recreational-type cooler together with packing material such as styrofoam peanuts, bubble-wrap or paper. Since standard arrangements for retaining a cover over the cooler opening (e.g., latches, hinges or a friction-fit) are not designed nor able to withstand the rigors of conventional freight transportation, the usual technique is to tape the cooler cover shut with strapping tape or the like. Such a package is first shipped off to the customer by the analytical services company. The customer opens the cooler, removes and fills the sample containers with sample material, then repacks the sample containers in the cooler with ice for shipment back to the lab - often without additional packing material.
The conventional approach results in a messy package that is difficult to open and close. This imposes great inconvenience and inefficiency on both the customer who must open, unpack then repack the cooler, and the service company that must initially pack the cooler for shipment to the customer, then open and unpack it when it is returned. The strapping tape holding the cover on is difficult and time consuming to apply and remove. Once the container is opened, the sample containers must randomly be fished out of the packing material (and ice after the return trip). Moreover, breakage of the containers due to the inadequate use of packing material is common. In addition to the obvious waste that such breakage entails, a health hazard is presented due to the contaminants that may exist in the sample materials.
The unpacking procedure is particularly messy and inefficient on return of the samples to the analytical service company. The customer typically will have mixed ice with loose packing material. By the time the package reaches the lab, the ice will have melted, partially or completely, creating a soupy mess from which the sample containers must be retrieved. Additionally, any paper packaging material will have lost most of its effectiveness upon getting wet, potentially resulting in broken containers and leaked material which may be hazardous.
Various approaches have been taken in the design of specialized shipping containers intended to better accommodate bottles or other fragile containers, and/or to provide thermal insulation to the contents.
Failer U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,358 and Zamzow et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,661 each disclose specialized bottle packages for the shipment of bottles of liquid. The Failer package utilizes a paperboard carton with an inner layer designed to absorb and contain liquid in the event one of the bottles breaks in transit. Zamzow et al. disclose an impact .resistant package comprising a body of plastic foam material for holding the bottles and a pair of end covering members held on the body with straps.
Leninark, Sr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,678 discloses an insulated biological transport container comprising a zippered cloth jacket surrounding a plastic encasement portion and sliding cover. A shock absorbing block having holes to retain vials of sample material fits into the encasement portion. Cooling packets are positioned in the shock absorbing block and optionally in a cooling chest surrounding the jacket.
Mendenhall U.S. Pat. No. 1,269,197 discloses a heavy-duty insulated shipping container having a removable lid securely retained on the container body by fasteners comprising two threadably engageable shanks, each having a loop at one end. The loop of one shank is hingedly connected by a strap to the container body. The loop of the other shank is engageable with a corresponding protruding lug on the lid. By threading one shank onto the other, the fastening devices are adapted to draw the lugs downwardly to bind the lid to the container body.
None of the packaging arrangements disclosed in the above-mentioned patents are particularly suited for the freight transportation of fragile sample containers that must be returned together with ice. Additionally, none of the patents teaches an arrangement that is readily and inexpensively adaptable from existing low-cost, lightweight and highly durable containers such as recreational-type coolers.